While Disney movies have mainly used female leading characters for a long time, Pixar studio has focused on male protagonists. It promoted a new model of masculinity, as the characters evolve from an alpha-male to a so-called ‘New Man’ who has accepted his feminine sides. In Disney movies, a male protagonist remained the same during the course of the entire film, not changing his status of a strong but silent man. At the same time, in Pixar’s pictures, the protagonist encounters many difficulties that feature not only the main adventure but also the relations with other characters.

Gillam and Wooden (2008) provide a good opinion essay example of such a development. Thus, Buzz and Woody in Toy Story impersonate the male competition, which is a distinct feature of an alpha male. Woody is an accepted leader among other toys, but Buzz’s power and self-confidence shape his man’s identity. He expresses only anger or irritation, but never lets others see his fear or sadness, which is a defining feature of an alpha male. This emotional isolation is also present in the character of Mr. Incredible from The Incredibles, whose impressive physical strength have not prevented him from emotional restriction, as his power is his only means of communication and influence. At the beginning of Cars, Lightning McQueen has not achieved the status of the best racer, but his male identity is presented through his ambitions and self-confidence. However, the characters soon face difficulties in maintaining their status because of defeat, their inability to control power, competition, and fear of alienation.

The emasculation of male characters and subsequent representation of them as the ‘New Man’ are the main elements in the films’ structure and plot (Gillam & Wooden, 2008). They admit their weaknesses and dependence on others, which is unforgivable for an alpha male, but it is an ordinary human quality. This leads to them accepting their feminine values, which is the main feature of the ‘New Man’ during his journey towards the realization of their true identities.

The Incorporation of Femininity in Disney/Pixar Movies The new image of a man involves the reveal of the feminine aspect of their nature and acceptance of it. As the leading characters in Pixar movies are mainly men, the postfeminist influences require a new portrayal of their characters. Undoubtedly, displaying emotions and sharing feelings are features, characterizing women; thus, overcoming this stereotype is the main challenge for the characters’ masculinity. Emotional bonds and caring for others are also weaknesses that alpha males try to hide, even though uncovering their loving nature would be the proof of their strong character.

In Toy Story, Buzz and Woody learn how to help each other instead of pretending to be independent and capable of doing anything on their own. Having encountered many obstacles and challenges, they admit the fact that they are stronger when united but they also realize that caring is not a disadvantage. Their care for Andy gains maternal features, as they are ready to sacrifice themselves for his sake, thus showing their disinterested and nurturing love (Gillam & Wooden, 2008). Nevertheless, they do not lose their male identity, but they become more stable emotionally, as the acceptance of stereotypically female features does not diminish their male power. Mr. Incredible’s dependence on women emasculated his image of an independent yet isolated alpha male. Moreover, he admits his emotional attachment to his family and turns this weakness into a strength while defeating a monster. At the same time, Lightning McQueen is very self-centered and sometimes too confident, which works against him not only in competition but also in the relations with others. However, he is subordinated to a female character, which disproves his image of a confident and independent male. Still, other characters in the movie consider this subordination as a positive thing, so this does not harm Lightning’s reputation.

Therefore, even though gaining female features by men is usually viewed as a rather controversial and negative impact, Pixar movies have disproved this belief. All the main heroes have embraced feminine values that shaped them into becoming stronger and broad-minded characters.